Aims

This course aims at developing the vocabulary, improving the grammatical knowledge and teaching the essential as well as more complex grammar points. The learning of these grammar points will allow the student to broach the reading of longish texts and short press clippings. The development of vocabulary and grammar will allow the student to feel at ease in various domains.

Main themes

Speaking:

The student will be able to speak with even more fluency, as they will have acquired a greater vocabulary and command of grammar structures that allow for more nuance in discourse. They will be able to talk about events or anecdotes that have happened to them, intervene in conversation to give their opinions, objections, proposals, give descriptions or present a topic on a given theme.

Understanding:

The student will be able to understand texts and conversations on various subjects.

Writing:

The learning of ideograms remains the same as in previous years, the whole year long. The written vocabulary is broadened thanks to the combination of multiple ideograms having been mastered previously and which, combined and tiered, give rise to new words. The student will have an active baggage of 750 to 800 ideograms as well as a certain passive baggage, which they will have to revise throughout the year. The learning of ideograms thus is also accompanied by the assimilation of a broader vocabulary. The result is the ability to read longer and longer texts ever more easily.

Audio-visual method:
Each lesson includes a mini-scenario presenting the theme of the class plus grammar points. The lessons are accompanied by listening comprehension exercises, at natural talking speed. The grammar points broached are complex yet essential for the understanding of longish texts or profound conversations. The four classroom hours are divided as follows: 60 % oral and 40 % written activities, the active memorisation of ideograms being done outside the classroom.

Supporting material:
Two sets of course notes accompany this course. Volume two of the ideograms as well as the course notes proper. The advanced-level course also includes one audio-tape or -CD per theme broached.

Assessment:
Revision exercises; regular revision; general revision at the end of the year;
Final exam: 40 % oral, 40 % written and 20 % reading and discussing a text prepared in advance.
The student should get a 12/20 mark to be able to go to the specialised-level class.

Workload:
120 classroom hours
96 self-study hours

Content and teaching methods

120-hour course, 4 hours per week during the whole year
advanced and differentiated vocabulary
listening practice
conversation: discussions
advanced grammar
translating, writing
reading
dictations

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Classroom hours over the period of the entire academic year.
Non-UCL students who have sat the end-of-year exam will receive an ILV certificate.

B1 (+) to B2 (-) levels of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages"

This course is for all advanced-level learners who have either followed the ILV intermediate-level course (CHIN 1300) or a course of the same level in another language school: UCL students, staff members, non-UCL students.

Other credits in programs